It was exhilarating to be at the Voorkamerfest in Darling. The 2025 festival was on October 18 and 19. We attended today – Sunday October 18. The Voorkamerfest was started in 2003 by Pieter Dirk Uys and Wim Visser. It was interrupted by Covid and didn’t happen for four years – 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The festival was reignited last year – 2024. So 2025 marks the 2nd incarnation in the post pandemic space and I have to tell you that is a sensation. The festival hub was at Darling Brew. It was super organized- with gees – lots to eat and drink at the hub.
The festival is divided into routes, each tagged by a colour. Festivalgoers do not know which artists/acts will be on the route. It is a surprise. The venues are also a surprise. Mini bus taxis take festivalgoers to the venues. The festival was conceptualised around the “voorkamers” – “front rooms”. From the get go, the community of Darling opened up the front rooms of their homes, as pop-up theatres for the festival. The “voorkamer” motif has been extended over the years, to include venues in Darling which are not private spaces. The idea is the same – welcoming people into the front room of a space.
For the 2025 festival, the routes departed from the pickup point at Darling Brew. I chose the Pink Route as I love pink. Our first stop was Evita Se Perron (formerly the hub of the festival – until 2019). We were treated to a concert by the Marimba Allstars, from Langa, which included Miriam Makeba’s Pata. Pieter-Dirk Uys was scheduled to perform on the Pink Route but unfortunately had to cancel, because of illness. The Allstars stepped up to the plate and saved the route.
Our second stop was at the Agricultural Barn, with a recital by harpist Jess King-Holford. The charming and vivacious harpist hails from the UK and now lives in Cape Town with her South African husband. They met at Afrikaburn. King-Holford shared her journey –where the harp has taken her – UK, India and here. She plays solo events and has played with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, Cape Town Opera and Cape Town City Ballet. She told us that she was smitten by the harp at age 7. She ditched the piano and that was it. Her first official gig was at 12 when she played at her brother’s wedding. Her first number was by John Thomas, Watching the Wheat (traditional Welsh love song arranged for solo harp). No, it wasn’t intentional to do a wheat song in a grain museum, King-Holford told me. She chose the song as it uses all 46 strings and is a wonderful showcase for the harp. There was a searing rendition of Gershwin’s Summer Time and a jazzy rendition of Suikerbosse. Fascinating insights were sprinkled alongside the music. For instance, did we know that the shape of a harp looks like a Grand Piano tilted on its side? No, did not know that.
Our last stop was in a private home, in 5th Avenue, with harmonica maestro, Dave Ferguson. Ferguson (aka Lonesome Dave), captivated us with his narrative songs – of love, loss and encounters with interesting people to get on through the night, such as Wishful Drinking, when he was living in Italy. In another wistful song, he mused about a train that doesn’t run anymore. The intimacy of the venue, in the front room, heightened the intensity of his signature raw music. It feels like a conversation with Lonesome Dave – channelling the groove of a Leonard Cohen in Cape Town. This concert was hosted by the Dirks family. Karl Dirks told me that was their 3rd year as a host. I think in Airbnb lingo that would make him a Super Host.
On the subject of hosts, Darling Brew hosted the hub for the comeback Voorkamerfest in 2024 and once again, supported the festival, said a delighted Tasha St John-Reid, Operations Manager for the Darling Trust. The Voorkamerfest is run by The Darling Festival Trust. St John-Reid is the coordinator and producer of Voorkamerfest. I love this festival. I love not having to decide what to watch. I love it that there is no pain and schlep involved between shows. One hops on and off a taxi and gets to the next destination. No stress over parking and no stress over the time it takes to get to the next venue. I love the conviviality and warm welcome – and the fun. Here is to Voorkamerfest 2026. voorkamerfest-darling.co.za
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✳ Featured image – The Marimba Allstars from Langa, performing at Voorkamerfest 2025, at Evita Se Perron. Pic: Robyn Cohen/TheCapeRobyn, Oct 19, 2025. For more videos and pics,, see Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16E3rV6fhn/
